A Collector
by Charley-Parsley
Summary: The Sons are in trouble, and rescue comes from a very unexpected source. But can Reid recover from this trauma? Rated T purely for safety. Complete.


**A Collector**

The boys were in trouble...then again what was new? The only difference was that this time they were in more trouble than usual. Let's face it, the usual didn't normally include being chained to the wall of a hidden underground cave, the captives of some deranged over powerful witch. Hell, Chase Collins had been bad but a bit predictable. Lukus Olivet was the least predictable person they had ever met. He was helping them, honestly, one moment and draining their life force the next. He was a loose cannon.

However, who turned up next was even less predictable. No-one could have dreamt it.

Through the opening to the cave system, a small figure wandered dreamily in. She was barely 3'5" and clad in a large fully pink dressing gown. Her hair was unkempt and there were mud stains on the knees of her pyjama trousers.

"Katie." Reid's voice barely rose above a whisper as he recognised his five year old neighbour. Hell, he baby-sat for this girl at weekends. Katie lifted a small fist and rubbed at her grey eyes, a frown on her delicate brow.

"Reid?" She asked. Her voice was distant and airy, like she was in some sort of trance state.

"I'm here Katie." Katie took a few small steps in her cute pink slippers but when she drew level Lukus, she stopped. There was a manic look in Lukus' green eyes that scared the Sons of Ipswich. Even he wouldn't do anything to a five year old girl...would he?

"Well well, what have we got here?" Katie turned to face him. She didn't even reach his waist and she was filthy, but there was an air to her that oozed maturity.

"Can I have my friends back now please?" She asked. Tears slipped slowly down Reid's handsome face as the girl he considered like his own baby sister stood before a maniac pleading for his life.

"That depends doesn't it?" Lukus had now crouched down to Katie's level, "would you like some chocolate?" Reid knew that Katie loved chocolate, above and beyond anything else.

"No thank you. I want my friends." The moment of surprise on Lukus' face worried the Sons even more.

"Are you sure?" Katie nodded, as stubborn as ever. Lukus straightened,

"Very well."

Suddenly, a large orb of power launched itself at the small girl. Reid shouted in desperation, fighting against the binding spells that held his power in check. The destructive ball reached Katie and...disappeared into her small chest. There was no effect on her petite frame. Lukus frowned again and shot another globe of magic at her. Again it disappeared.

"She's a collector." Caleb hissed at Reid. Reid was scowling,

"She can't be. I'd have known. We'd have known." But evidently they hadn't done and the four 'brothers' realised two things simultaneously; 1) Katie was a collector, which meant she held any power thrown at her. And 2) Katie was going to die for them, because that's what a collector does, they become attached to a witch and sacrifice themselves.

The atmosphere crackled and a wall of air was suddenly constructed around the sons. Several things happened at once;

Reid screamed, knowing what was happening

Katie screamed as she reached her limit of collection

Lukus screamed as Katie rebounded all his power at him

Light filled the cave as the power in Katie's veins erupted

The explosion shook the cave, bringing rocks tumbling down

The Sons were catapulted up to safety

Both Katie and Lukus were obliterated.

Rolling to his stomach, Reid vomited all his heart up. There was no way that little Katie Johnson had just died for him. The sun caught something and glinted, alerting Reid's streaming eyes. He reached out and grasped hold of the shining object. It was a necklace, and upon closer inspection he recognised it as the one he had given to Katie as a Christmas present. Reid sobbed, not caring that he was lying in his own vomit.

_Hi, welcome to the Gates. I'm Katie and I'll show you to your knew mummies. _

_I'm okay, I enjoy my job of showing new kids to their mums. I wish Reid would smile though. I love him. He's a good friend. Smile Reid. =D_


End file.
